Google Shopping Advertising Overview

Elevate your product’s visibility and maximize its potential by securing top placement in Google search results with the power of Google Shopping Ads.

If you operate an e-commerce website and sell products online, it’s highly probable that you utilize Google Shopping Ads. While search ads may not be the most optimal approach for e-commerce websites with a vast inventory network, shopping and display network (GDN) ads are typically favored. Yet, there are certain cases where it would be advantageous for multi-inventory e-commerce sites to leverage dynamic search advertising.

How Do We Set Up Google Shopping Ads?

To begin with Google Shopping Ads, you must be able to produce .xml data of all your website products in a format that complies with Google’s requirements. If you’re not familiar with the .xml structure, you may want to seek the help of a developer to ensure that the output satisfies the necessary specifications confidently.

When using a ready-made system like Opencart or Magento, there’s no need to worry. Third-party add-ons can be easily integrated into your website, giving you access to product data stored in .xml format. With these plugins at your fingertips, managing your website becomes a breeze.

To master the art of creating an XML data structure, confidently consult the comprehensive content available on the Google Merchant Center help page. Effortlessly access the provided link to gain all the necessary knowledge.

Once all technical issues have been resolved, you can confidently upload your completed .xml data feed to Google Merchant Center. In case you don’t have an account yet, creating one and submitting your products can be done quickly. Although the initial account setup and approval of your .xml data feed may take up to 2-3 days, rest assured that our team will work to get your products up and running as soon as possible.

Once you log into Merchant Center, the following screen will appear. As shown in the example image, this is the account of a company that I provide consultancy services for in the USA. Rest assured that here, you can access all the information about your products with ease.

Once you have successfully uploaded all of your products to Google Merchant Center, the next logical step is to associate your Google Ads account with your Merchant Center account. This will give you the power to view your products in your Google Ads panel and upload them into new campaigns with ease.

What Are Expert Ideas While Preparing .xml Data?

*Make sure to categorize your products in a thorough and organized manner. Avoid using an .xml table with a data structure that lumps all products together in a generic way. Instead, opt for a main category and subcategory structure that will create a well-organized .xml format. With this approach, your products will be easy to navigate and locate for both you and your customers.

*An essential aspect to consider is ensuring that products that are out of stock are not included in your .xml file. It is a waste of resources to promote products that are not available for purchase.

*To effectively reach your target audience, segment your advertisements based on price. This will ensure that your ads are shown to the appropriate audience at the most opportune time. For instance, if a user searches for “cheap phone case” on Google, your phone case product will appear in the search results. Moreover, you can optimize your bidding strategy for high-end products based on their profit margin.

*Make sure to confidently include shipping information in your XML data feed. Failing to do so can lead to an unpleasant user experience in the shopping cart, which can potentially damage your brand’s reputation. For example, when I checked ticket prices on Skyscanner last year, Pegasus always seemed to offer the lowest prices. However, when I clicked on a flight and was redirected to Pegasus’ site, the price would unexpectedly increase. It’s important to avoid putting your users or customers in such an inconvenient situation.

How to Create Shopping Ads in Google Ads Panel?

There are two powerful campaign strategies at your disposal. The first is the tried-and-true direct standard shopping campaigns and advertisements, while the second, Dynamic Remarketing, takes things up a notch with its remarketing campaigns and advertisements.

When it comes to creating campaigns, I strongly recommend going for a Smart campaign if you have an aged account with enough data. This type of campaign is not only easy to set up, but it also performs exceptionally well. In addition, you will be able to automatically set up a display campaign by creating a Smart Shopping Ads campaign, which means your ad will be displayed on Google, YouTube, and Display ads, giving you an even greater reach.

To create a new Shopping ad campaign in your Google Ads account, log in and select “Shopping ads” from the left panel. Next, click on “Campaigns” and then “New Campaign”. After selecting your Merchant Center account and indicating your sales goals, you will be taken to the campaign setup settings. Here, you can group your products or select specific ones to advertise (as I explained earlier, I don’t recommend advertising all products as it can become costly). Finally, you can write the ad text, including a short and long description, and publish your ad.

This ad copy and description is specifically designed for display ads and YouTube ads, particularly for dynamic remarketing. By selecting the Smart ad option, all of these ads will be automatically installed. However, if you choose to only set up a shopping campaign, you will need to click on “Display ads for dynamic remarketing” and create a campaign in that section as well. With this simple step, you can ensure that your advertising strategy is fully optimized for maximum impact and success.

Where Do Google Shopping Ads Appear?

Our ads will appear at the top of search results when users search for products. Furthermore, when the “Shopping” button on the Google page is clicked, the listed products are exclusively from companies using Google Shopping Ads.

As seen in the image below, when I searched for “Nike shoes” on Google and clicked on the “Shopping” button, all of the listed products were sponsored. It is worth noting that this is a common occurrence when using this feature.

Google has also created a search engine-like page for shopping. You can directly search on this page by clicking the link.

If you want to get the Google Shopping Certification, you should definitely read my previous article “Google Ads (AdWords) Shopping Advertising Certification and Exam“.

If you want assistance with setting up your Shopping ad campaigns, don’t hesitate to contact me. I am confident in my ability to provide you with the support you need to succeed.